features
Snowboard V Moto
Jul 05, 2010 / 11:34:12 AM
Kevin Pearce stalefish at Perisher, 2008 and Cam Sinclair with a cliff hanger backflip. Both casualties of life-threatening accidents.
Words | Paul Colby
When Kevin Pearce attempted a double cork 1080 in a Park City, Utah halfpipe while training for the Vancouver Olympics he never could have imagined suffering such severe injury, not only career ending but life changing. This story of home-grown Freestyle Motor-cross rider Cameron Sinclair, highlights not only the pressure of elite level action sports, but also the consequences, Cameron's story gives us hope that there is a road to recovery especially for people like Kevin Pearce.
Snowboarding has it's double cork, while Freestyle Motocross (FMX) has the double back flip. American's Shaun White and Travis Rice have been leading the double cork push in the world of snowboarding, while Australia's own Cameron Sinclair has been pushing the limits of FMX, being one of a few riders internationally who can land a double back flip.
When you are pushing the upper echelons of any action sport there are always consequences lurking in the background. Something Cameron Sinclair knows all to well about, after failing to land a double back flip last year and sustaining major brain injury, he is beating the odds and back on his dirt bike, months before anyone predicted he would be.
Now I am sure you are thinking "this is Transfer not Transmoto, why do a feature on Cam?" Well, Cam has a connection with the snowboard world too, having not only learnt to snowboard in 2004 at Falls Creek during his first 'on snow' FMX demo, but he also landed his first back flip on a motorbike at the same 'on snow' demo the following year, 2005. Plus, why not feature a guy that proves you can come back to your best and still push the limits after a major injury. It should give us all hope that we will be seeing Kevin Peace back on his snowboard sooner rather than later.
Meet Cameron David Sinclair
Age: 26
Hometown: Botanic Ridge, Victoria
Sponsors: Rockstar Energy Drink, Metal Mulisha, Fox, IsMyCv.com.au, Globe, Oakley, Yamaha, Ogio, Ringmaster Images, Pro Circuit
Website: www.camsinclair.com.au
The dangers that pro-snowboarders are now exposed to with the evolution of the Double-cork can be seen in this brutal accident with one of Kevin Pearce's mates Mason Aguire as he ramped up his skills training in Colorado for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics - luckily Mason rode away unhurt.
July 2009 was when it all came crashing down for Cam at the Red Bull X-Fighters in Spain, admitting a little bit of complacency may have crept into his riding having already landed two double back flips in practise. Reflecting now that "it is a trick that you need to be 100% focused on". With a major brain injury and severe nerve damage to the left hand side of his brain as a result of the crash, Cam was spending three plus times a week in rehab, working towards not only riding again, but first walking. To this day Cam still has trouble with the right hand side of his body, lacking the coordination to grab the handlebars or land his foot on the pegs at times. Even through all of this not once during the rehabilitation process did Cam think of leaving his dirt bike in the garage for good.
Cam Sinclair is back double back flipping after a life threatening injury
Coming back professionally this year was certainly not lacklustre, touring with Crusty Demons of Dirt earlier on, landing his first double back flip in Darwin since his injury. Collapsing after the landing, Cam describes the pressure this time as "way more intense" than even the very first time he tried the double back flip. The pressure came not from the trick itself which he was fine, it was from his peers asking, "why risk it all again?"
With the stress and pressure of retuning the double back flip now well in the past, Cam has been able to focus on his riding while touring with Nitro Circus, landing not only the double back flip, but a host of other tricks each city or town the show lands in. The next goal for Cam now is the "Best Trick" at X-Games, something that all FMX riders strive for. With Cam's invitation for July already accepted, the next few weeks will be spent fine-tuning his riding. Winning "Best Trick" at X-Games will cap off an amazing return to the FMX world for Cam, and prove that with the right support and attitude it is always possible to ride again.
tags: transfer, feature, features, cam, sinclair, profile, motocross, moto, kevin, pearce
